The information was contained in the monthly Police Activity Report for July 2022, issued by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abiodun Alabi.

The report disclosed that the Police foiled several armed robbery/cultists incidents and recovered 10 arms, while 208 vehicles and 522 motorcycles were impounded for contravening traffic laws across the Lagos metropolis.

It also revealed that some hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers were arrested on Badagry Expressway based on intelligence gathering, leading to the mobilisation of a team of policemen to dislodge criminals at the location. A total of 11 suspects were apprehended and have made useful statements to the Police during investigation.

Several suspected armed robbers, according to the report, were also arrested at different times within the month at Agege, Ilupeju, Orile Iganmu and Lekki/Epe Expressway, while two locally-made pistols, two unexpended cartridges, Bajaj Tricycle, operational vehicles and some charms were recovered from the suspects.

While listing areas where the Police clamped down on the activities of cultists as Ketu, Ikorodu and Ilupeju among others, the report stated that an individual named Friday Nwife was arrested and taken into custody for allegedly stabbing a 25-year-old at Kogberegbe Street, Isolo, to death during an altercation.

Also contained in the report was the case of a seven-year-old girl, who was allegedly defiled by one Greatness Eruoluwabami, on Monday, July 4, 2022, at Selewu Street, Igbogbo. The police team dispatched to the scene arrested the suspect and took the victim to Ita-Elewa Healthcare Centre for medical examination and treatment.

Punch reports that the little girl had always complained to her mother that a certain ”daddy’ was fond of touching her buttock and chest but could not mention the person’s name. The mother became more curious when she noticed that her daughter was comfortable with boys sleeping on her during playtime.

The mother, who gave her name only as Funmi, said that she lodged a complaint at the Owutu Police Division after her daughter pointed at the suspect as the person always touching her bum. Benjamin and his wife, one Florence, were then arrested.

The mother said the suspect was dumbfounded when confronted by the girl and resorted to begging, adding that his wife was later released on bail.

“My daughter had been complaining to me for some time that daddy touched her bum bum (buttock) and chest but she couldn’t mention the name of the person. I attended a wedding in Ibadan sometime in August last year and the man (Benjamin) was also there. We took a picture together. My daughter saw the picture and pointed at him that he was the one who harassed her. She also said it before the woman who was taking care of her. She will be four years old in September.”

Funmi said the caregiver used to work at her daughter’s former crèche, stating that she withdrew the girl from the facility because the new caregiver was not taking good care of her.

“There was an academic programme I enrolled for in Enugu State and I needed someone I trust to take care of her. I approached the woman (Florence) and she accepted. She would be with the woman for two weeks before I returned from Enugu. She was the one taking her to school and picking her up. She later started running a daycare.”the mother said

An activist and member of Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, following up the case, Okla Gogo, said the group was awaiting the results of a medical test carried out on the girl.

“The suspect has been transferred to the gender unit at police headquarters in Ikeja. We want the police to carry out a proper investigation into this case and ensure that justice is served,” he said

The state police command spokesperson, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, is yet to comment on this development.

The new PPRO who took over from CSP Chike Oti, on Tuesday, March 11th, 2019, enlisted into the Nigeria Police in 2003. He holds a Bachelors degree in Law (LLB), Master’s Degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA).

He had served in different commands and held various positions, including Operations Officer, Divisional Crime Officer, Divisional Police Officer, Community Policing Officer. In addition to all these positions, he was the police public relations officer in Niger and Akwa Ibom states.

DSP Bala Elkanan who is, bringing with him a rich background in public relations and information management, is also a Fellow of Corporate Institute of Administration, and an active member of International Association of Chiefs of Police and a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Until his recent posting, he was an Investigator in the IGP Monitoring Unit. Meanwhile, DSP Bala can be reached on GSM 07063116303.